The Miller Grove boys basketball team, which last season became the first in Georgia to win six consecutive state championships, opened its quest for a seventh with a 71-56 victory last week against Region 6-AAAAA rival Stephenson.
The Wolverines (28-5 in 2013-14) are led by junior guard Alterique Gilbert, who was a second-team all-state player last season, when he led the Wolverines in scoring (18.0), assists (5.6) and steals (4.1) and added 3.7 rebounds per game. Gilbert is a 5-foot-9, 150-pound point guard who is No. 14 nationally among juniors at his position in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He has reported offers from Florida State, Maryland, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Southern Cal.
Gilbert led the Wolverines with 21 points and eight rebounds against Stephenson. Lamont West scored seven of his 20 points during an 18-0 run in the second quarter as Miller Grove took control.
Miller Grove will travel to Corinth, Miss., this weekend to play the headline game in the Lighthouse Thanksgiving Classic, a second-year showcase including teams from Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee. The Wolverines will face three-time defending Mississippi state champion Callaway at 8 p.m. Saturday in the last of 14 games over two days.
The Wolverines also will participate in the ‘Iolani Classic in Hawaii, which runs from Dec. 16-21. Miller Grove will open the tournament against Fuxin New Star of China.
Here are some of the other boys teams to watch in Class AAAAA this season.
*Jenkins: The Warriors finished 28-3 and ranked No. 3 in the state last season after losing to Miller Grove 69-52 in the semifinals. Jenkins graduated five of its top six scorers but returns Malik Benlevi, who averaged a team-leading 13.8 points per game. Benlevi, a 6-6, 190-pound small forward, is the state's No. 23 prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings and recently signed with Georgia State. He was an honorable mention all-state selection last season. Jenkins opens its season Saturday against North Cobb Christian in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event at Holy Innocents'.
*Allatoona: The Buccaneers face an early test when they open the season Tuesday against two-time defending Class AA champion Greater Atlanta Christian in the Jared Cook Tip-Off Classic at North Gwinnett. GAC had its 52-game losing streak snapped with an 80-66 loss to Peachtree Ridge on Monday. Allatoona must replace a strong senior class that was led by second-team all-state guard Daniel Fowler, who averaged 17.4 points and 7.6 rebounds and signed with Furman. Allatoona finished 29-2 and ranked fifth in the state last year, losing to Stephenson 57-38 in the quarterfinals.
*Effingham County: The Rebels finished 20-10 and ranked ninth in the state last season, but they must replace Jakeenan Gant, who was the Class AAAAA player of the year. Gant, now a freshman at Missouri, averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 2.8 assists. Effingham County opened the season with an 83-70 victory over Greenbrier in the Thanksgiving Classic. Deshaun Wilkenson (17 points), Kyle Owens (16), PJ Brown (15) and Andre Brown (14) all scored in double figures in a balanced effort.
